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T-Mobile trade-in offer drops iPhone 5 upfront price to $0 for 4, 4S owners
As T-Mobile prepares to officially offer the iPhone for the first time, it's trying to pump up the lure with a trade-in offer for owners of the 4 and 4S models. Available through mid-June, the promotion lets iPhone 4 and 4S owners trade in their current device for an AWS HSPA+ friendly iPhone 5 for no money upfront (with monthly payments) under its new no-contract Simple Choice Plans. Additionally, depending on the condition of the hardware being traded in, customers can get a credit of up to $120 to be used against those payments (knocking it down to $15 from $20, for example) their usual bill or accessories. If last month's colorful presentation wasn't enough to pull you to T-Mobile from another carrier, does this new offer sweeten the deal enough? A full breakdown follows below in the press release, sales start Friday.
GameStop offering Halo 4 and AC3 for $40, +50% credit on in-store trade-ins
The stockings have come down and the gifts have been unwrapped, but GameStop hasn't stopped kicking off deals for the season. The retailer's latest deals, which run now through Saturday, have Halo 4 and Assassin's Creed 3 for $39.99 each, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on sale for $49.99.Far Cry 3 is also on sale for $49.99, and you can pick up Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier for $29.99, in addition to all of the other deals on recent and popular games. Finally, the company's offering a buy two, get one free sale on all used Wii and Nintendo DS games, and there's an ongoing promotion that will give you an extra 50 percent credit back whenever you trade any used games in. Just in case you didn't spend all your money on this year's previous sales, GameStop will be happy to help take the rest of it.
Gadget reseller Gazelle works to deter thieves
Thieves who steal iPhones and iPads are going to have a harder time getting rid of their stolen hardware thanks to a new partnership between Gazelle and CheckMEND. According to VentureBeat, Gazelle will soon scan all its trade-in devices against CheckMEND, a service that compiles information on stolen devices from the FBI, police, wireless carriers and others. If a trade-in item shows up in the database as lost or stolen, Gazelle will refuse to pay for the device and return it to the sender. CheckMEND is a new service offered by UK company Recipero. Launched in the UK, the CheckMEND service recently expanded to the US. The company claims it is the "US's largest consumer electronics background reports service." Gazelle is the first US trade-in service to use the service.
Report: October a record month for tablet trade-ins
It's not just original iPads that are still very much in demand -- it's all tablets, past and present. According to a new report by trade-in site SellCell.com, October 2012 was the biggest month for tablet trade-ins in history, spurred by brand new tablet announcements from Google (the Nexus 10 was officially revealed), Microsoft (the long-awaited Surface saw release), and of course Apple, with the long-rumored iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad. The release of new tablets like these sent the trade-in rates on older tablets soaring, resulting in iPad trade-ins specifically up 500 percent just a week after the iPad mini announcement. In terms of devices coming in for trade, Apple's iPad claims 76 percent of trade-ins, while the BlackBerry PlayBook is next at 10 percent and then the Samsung Galaxy Tab at 7 percent. Of course, more tablets available for trade-in means that prices drop as well, and SellCell says that's exactly what's happening. Trade-in values for the iPad 2 with 3G dropped from $375 to $275 in just the last month. But the good news is that more new tablet models also makes older tablet models more affordable, so even if you can't drop the cash on a new iPad fourth generation, maybe you can find something a little cheaper on Craigslist or trade-in sites like SellCell itself. But the fact that there is such an active market for older tablets shows just what the demand looks like for the category at large. As long as Apple continues to have trouble keeping up with demand on new units, there will also be a trickle-down demand for older versions as well.
More iPhone and iPad trade-in suggestions
After posting about Apple's PowerON partnership for trade-ins, I was contacted by several parties who hoped I could give their services a mention (all prices are USD). Sarah Hahn of Allison PR represents Glyde, a service she says pays out up to $460 for a 64GB 4S versus the max $345 available through PowerON. That's a huge difference, and we recommend caution when dealing with any vendor whose prices seem too good to be true. Ashley Halberstadt of Blast Media points to NextWorth, which offers both cash and gift-card trade-in options. Their price lock guarantee will extend through October 1st. Their 64GB 4S trade-in is going for $351. TUAW readers also chimed in with thoughts and advice. Reader mindflayer writes that he sold his to GameStop. "Cash in hand, more money offered than Gazelle." Chris Braden went with eBay instead. "I had a great experience with eBay instant sale when the new iPad came out," he wrote. "They ran a promotion where I got a lot more money than anywhere else, and I did the whole transaction with my phone." Smythe Richbourg used NextWorth. "It worked like a charm, and I got a decent price. Looking at what they're paying now, however, the prices are not too good. eBay is much better, since you get what the market will bear. I've sold both my original iPad 16 GB ($200 - sold in less than 2 minutes!) and an iPhone 4 32 GB ($400 - sold in a few days) there in the past few months, for about twice what the buy-back sites were offering." James Winder had some advice for UK readers. "I live in the UK and for the last couple of years I've mostly used a company called CEX (Computer Exchange) to sell old iPhones to. You can get a price for your particular phone straight away online and then go into the store and receive cash for it. I usually buy a new iPhone first, set it up and then when I'm happy with it I wipe and cash in the old one." He mentions that, at least in the UK, independent pawn shops give much better prices for iPhones than the larger companies and carriers. He adds, "Oh and a lot of friends always pop up on Facebook offering phones for sale around the time a new one comes out and usually don't have trouble selling them to other friends." Got some trade-in/reselling advice? Drop a note in the comments.
Sprint tacks on Buyback option to web, offers trade-in credit while online shopping
Sprint's Buyback program has been up and running for a bit, but now the wireless carrier is offering trade-ins alongside online purchases. While selecting your brand spanking new smartphone of choice, the outfit will automatically guide you through the process to determine how much your old handset is worth and keep track of the total credit for multiple devices -- with a $300 maximum for the account credit. After the tech is tallied up, a pre-paid shipping label will be emailed out for shipping. Of course, the exact amount of the Buyback deal won't be confirmed until Sprint receives your package and gives its contents the once over.
GameStop offering bonus trade-in credit toward Steam gift cards
Even GameStop's getting in on Steam Summer Sale madness, with a deal to entice you into turning your boxed games into downloads. For the duration of the Summer Sale (through July 23), any game traded in at GameStop will get a 30% boost in value if used toward the purchase of a Steam gift card. Of course, you'd likely get more of a "bonus" for just selling your games on eBay or something, but GameStop seems to have caught on out of convenience anyway.GameStop started carrying Steam gift cards in May. The future is a weird place. These are definitely two topics we didn't expect to intersect.
GameStop plans to sell Nexus 7, starts taking Android tablet trade-ins
Google's Andy Rubin suggested the Nexus 7 would reach third-party US stores eventually -- we just didn't think it would be this quickly. GameStop says it's taking pre-orders for the 16GB version of the Android 4.1 tablet starting today. At $249, it will cost exactly what it does in its currently exclusive Google Play home; in other words, one of the parties involved could be taking a voluntary hit on the already razor-thin profit margins. The 7-inch slate should be arriving roughly at the same mid-July timeframe as it is for those ordering straight from the Google source. It wouldn't be GameStop if there weren't trade-ins involved, and sure enough, the game retailer is using the Nexus 7 as the lure. Confirming an earlier leak, the chain is now accepting Android tablet trade-ins worth up to $200 in cash (or $250 in store credit) depending on how pristine the hardware is coming into the store. Play your cards right, and you're very nearly getting the Google-blessed tablet for free. As an extra incentive, any gear whose exchange goes directly towards buying the Nexus 7 will get a 30 percent boost in value. Knowing the buzz surrounding the price-to-performance ratio of the ASUS-made Nexus, we won't be surprised if GameStop suddenly faces a glut of older Android tablets in its backrooms.
Report: Gamestop to add Samsung Android devices to trade-in list
Gamestop's plodding metamorphosis from pseudo-pawn shop to actual pawn shop continues, as the massive retailer/reseller is poised to begin accepting four specific Samsung-made, Android-powered devices as trade-ins, according to a report from Gadget Experts.In addition to the iPhones and iPads already accepted for trade-in, "select stores" will begin accepting the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Nexus S and Samsung Infuse sometime this summer, with a nation-wide roll out expected before the 2012 holiday season, Gadget Experts writes. None of this news is particularly surprising, considering that smartphones and tablets continue to gain ground as portable gaming devices. Also, Android devices are a thing that Gamestop isn't selling you that they totally could be, which obviously must be corrected.
GameStop ending GameCube trade-ins on April 2
Though it's already long past the time you would have gotten any decent store credit for trading in a GameCube or games, the deal's about to get a lot worse. Starting April 2, GameStop will stop taking trade-ins of GameCube hardware, software, or accessories.It's going to be a bit sad to see the giant stack of Donkey Konga bongo controllers in our local store dwindle without any way for the supply to renew itself. That said, if you want a cheap Donkey Konga controller, now's the time to go secure one.
PSA: Apple offering up to $320 if you trade in your iPad 2 in reuse and recycling program
Eyeing the iPad 3, but have yet to take the pre-order plunge? Per The Next Web, your patience is about to be rewarded as Apple's updated its Reuse and Recycling program, which means owners of iPad 2s in "good condition" can sling them back to their maker in exchange for an Apple Store gift card. How much the mothership will subsequently send back naturally varies on what iPad 2 you've got -- ranging anywhere from $205 for the base 16GB WiFi model, all the way to $320 for the most capacious 64GB WiFi + 3G variant. Or you could try your luck with similar programs such as eBay's Instant Sale or the one from Cupertino's tablet rival to the north. And would you look at that, we've even gone ahead and put links to all three just below.
Motorola asks business users to defect, offers $200 for new Android handset purchase
Motorola Mobility wants business users on Android handsets, and to accomplish this the company has decided to put its money where its mouth is. Starting today, Moto will offer up to $200 to smartphone users that trade in their old, BLUR-less set for a new Android device. The company is also offering converts its MotoAssist service, which should -- in theory -- make the data migration process as painless as possible. The Droid RAZR Maxx, Droid 4 and Atrix 2 are just a few of the handsets up for grabs. Saunter on past the break for the full PR, and be sure to let us know if a pair of Benjamins in your pocket is just what you've been waiting for to make the switch.
Verizon Wireless kicks off trade-in program for southern US residents, offers up to $300 credit
If you're drooling over a new phone and happen to live in the southern United States, we thought you might like to know that Verizon is literally paying prospective customers to jump ship. All you have to do is bring in a mobile phone, regardless of carrier, where you'll qualify for up to $300 toward a new handset from Big Red. If you're curious, we're told that non-smartphones will automatically receive a $50 credit, while more advanced devices will need to be evaluated by an in-store rep. The program is expected to last through the end of the year, and extends to residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Didn't make the list? Well, uprooting your family is always an option -- although, we'd probably advise against that.
Amazon adds e-readers to Trade-In program, ebook lovers pass the old Kindles to the Bezos side
Early adopters are usually SOL a few months into owning their new doodads. After helping make products successful, their version 1.0 devices are often cast aside to make room for the newer, better, faster kit waiting in the pipeline. If you happened to jump on the Kindle bandwagon early on or even just a short while ago, you may be feeling these very flames of tech fury whenever you consider the company's newly refreshed line. Well, buck up bookworms, a partial solution to your economic woes is now available. Amazon's accepting your used and abused e-readers in exchange for a gift card applicable to any purchases you make on the site. It's the same old trade-in program the Bezos-backed company's been running for years, only now you'll have a more sensible way to upgrade your E Ink or tablet game.
Sprint buyback ad deems HTC Arrive too old, iPhone page lightly suggests you chuck it (update: official response)
Ready to trade in that phone you just got? Sprint thinks you are, teasing you from its iPhone landing page to "go green and get green" by recycling your probably still in-contract HTC Arrive. Sure, its $73 buyback kickback might help you subsidize something fresher, but you aren't tired of Metro already, are you? Update: We just received word from Sprint, mentioning that the HTC Arrive was chosen at random and that no actual connection exists between it and the BuyBack program.
EcoATM offers instant money for your old phone, we go hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)
Old-fashioned ATM meets modern-day phone recycling program. That's the idea behind EcoATM, a startup aimed to help reduce electronic waste and beef up your wallet at the same time. Of course, it's not a new concept: phone recycling programs have been around for a while now, helping you stay green by giving you some green. Trading in an old phone for the almighty dollar, however, typically involves filling out paperwork, printing labels, shipping the device to the facility and waiting for four weeks for a check. EcoATM's goal is to eliminate all of that in favor of a simple 5-minute process that ends with cash in-hand. The company has machines set up in popular shopping malls in various cities across the country, ready to help you part ways with your old device. Take a gander at a gallery and the full demonstration below. %Gallery-136313% Zachary Lutz contributed to this report.
GameStop offers iPhone, iPod and iPad trade-ins at US stores, just in time for fall titles
Looking to get some green back for that aging iOS device? GameStop's looking to oblige. The famed retailer has announced that you'll be able to trade-in your infrequently used iPhone, iPod or iPad for store credit, starting today. Since these devices usually carry significantly higher value than most of the store's gently used items -- adjusted to merely higher given the outfit's historically laughable trade-in values -- Call of Duty addicts can now rejoice in having yet another source of funding for their fix. Also, this announcement comes just in time for you to get your assets in order for the fall slate of games -- specifically, the ones you were planning to a) order online or b) download. Well played, GameStop. If you're yearning for more info, check out the PR after the break.
PSA: Gamestop now accepting iOS device trade-ins
Are you just lousy with iPhone and iPads, but light on Maddens and Deus Exes? There's a handy way to convert your supplies of the former into the latter: One week after first revealing the initiative, Gamestop is now allowing trade-ins of iOS devices for store credit. In a statement released this morning (at the same time as their Android tablet's announcement), the company announced that its brick-and-mortar locations are now turning your iPods, iPhones and iPads into cold, hard store credit. The amount of credit you'll get for each device varies based on which service provider you're attached to, as well as its hard drive capacity and model. The announcement menions that the credit you'll earn is "significantly higher" than the norm -- an AT&T 3G 32GB iPad 2, for instance, is worth $300 in Gamestop-bucks. Why, that's probably, like, 100 times the going rate for a mint copy of Tak and the Power of Juju!
GameStop to start accepting (and reselling) iOS device trade-ins [update]
While we're sure you appreciate that iPod Nano your Nana got you for your birthday, it's not such a great gift compared to your current gen iPod Touch. Sure, you could possibly return it to Apple, but since Nana opened it first to "make sure it came with batteries," that might be a tough sell. If you're a frequenter of GameStop, however, you may be able to use that Nano to get yourself some sweet games. According to "several sources" close to 9to5Mac, GameStop's all too eager to take your old iPod, iPhone or iPad -- and to sell it to somebody else, of course. These sources say that the announcement was made at GameStop's annual Managers Convention last week in Las Vegas. Currently, GameStop accepts iOS devices for trade-in, but hasn't announced any plans to sell these old devices in-store or online. We've contacted the retailer for comment and will update accordingly. Update: We called around to a few GameStops and were told by several people that GameStop will be taking trade-ins on iOS devices, though likely not for a week or two. We were also told by store employees that the plan is to re-sell the used iOS devices, but no pricing had been set. GameStop corporate has yet to comment.
Verizon wants you to upgrade to a smartphone, offering $100 gift card in exchange?
How much is Verizon willing to pay you to switch from a basic phone to a smartphone? A cool $100, according to rumors. The provider is reportedly gearing up to launch a new offer aimed at encouraging more customers to get with the times, as part of its trade-in program. Under the incentive, basic phone users eligible for a two-year upgrade (or those who qualify for an early upgrade) would be able to re-sign a two-year contract, tack on a data plan and purchase a new smartphone at a reduced price. Once that's done, they'll receive a PIN code for Verizon's trade-in site, where they'll find instructions on how to send in their old phones to receive a $100 gift card. A tipster told Phone Arena that the offer will run from August 18th to September 30th, though it remains unclear whether it will be regional or nationwide. For more details, check out the source link, below.
